I would like to post the text in Pali from the Abhidhammattha Sangaha in small sections. (It is a very concise work.) I won't post the English or English explanations by Bhikkhu Bodhi for copyright reasons, but as another thread points out they can be read online. I will put a brief paraphrase of each section and we can discuss anything that is unclear. Please correct my paraphrase where it seems wrong. Thanks.

I'll put the niggahita dot and other dots before rather than under the letter. Please point out any important errors in transcribing the Pali, but as this is not the Pali corner, the content will be more important that perfectly accurate trascribing, I guess.

Chapter 1, which is Cittasanghavibhaaga (Compendium of Consciousness) opens with thutivacana which are words of praise to the Buddha:

Here is a bit of a summary I did of some of Bhikkhu Bodhi's notes on citta (consciousness)

-citta is principal element in experience, so it is taken up first in the abhidhammattha sangaha（Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma） -citta defined three ways by commentators: as agent, as instrument and as activity. Agent as agent refers to “that which cognizes an object.” (aarammanam cintetti ti cittam) Citta as instrument is “that by means of which the accompanying mental factors cognize the object. (etena cintetii ti cittam) Citta as an activity is “nothing other than the process of cognizing an object.” The third is “regarded as most adequate of three.” “The definitions in terms of agent and instrument are “proposed to refute the wrong view of those who hold that a permanent self or ego is the agent and instrumentation of cognition.” (phil: I’ve come across many people who object to the dhamma theory expounded in Abhidhamma because it seems to make agents, or little selves out of the citta. I can see their point to a certain extent, but then I consider the ways in which, as noted above, the citta-as-agent model helps to get rid of the idea of a true overruling self, an atta, And according to the above, the definition of citta as sheer cognizing activity is where our understanding should be leading us anyway. -commentators use four “devices” to describe all paramattha dhammas. 1) characteristic (lakkhana) which is its “salient quality.” 2) function (rasa) which is how it performs a concrete task (kicca) or achievment of a goal (sampatti) 3) its manifestation (paccupatthaana) which is how it “presents itself within experience” and 4) its proximate cause (padatthana) which is its principal condition for arising. -As for citta, its characteristic is knowing an object (vijaanana.) Its function is “forerunner” (pubbangama) of the cetasikas it is accompanied by. Its manifestation if a “continuity of processes”, whatever that means. (sandhaana) 4) Its proximate causes is naama ruuapa because it cannot arise without cetasikas and material phenomena.

Any thoughts on 1) citta as activity vs. citta as agent or instrument? 2) the definition of the characteristic, function, manifestation or proximate cause of citta?

Metta,

Phil

p.s next will come summary of notes that follow in the CMA on the various realms of consciousness. As always, if anyone wants to put them up, please go ahead. And if you see errors in my summary, please note them. Thanks.

Continuing on the definition of "citta" next comes a point I personally find especially difficult to grasp, so I will just write out what Bhikkhu Bodhi writes and leave it at that:

"The Abhidhamma not only distinguishes the types of consciousness, but more importantly, it also exhibits them as ordered into a cosmos, a unified and closely interwoven whole. To do so it employs several overlapping principles of classification. The first of these, intoduced in the present section of the Sangaha, is the plance (bhuumi) of consciousness. There are four planes of consciousness. Three are mundane: the sense sphere, the fine-material sphere, and the immaterial sphere; the fourth plane is the supramundane. The word avacara, "sphere," which qualifies the first three planes, means "that which moves about in, or frequents a particular locality." The locality frequented is the plane of existence (also bhuumi) designated by the name of the sphere, that is, the sensuous, the fine-material, and the immaterial planes of existence. HOwever, though the three spheres of consciousness have a particularly close connection with the corresponding planes of existence, they are not identical. The spheres of conscoiusness are categories for classifying types of cittas, the planes of existence are relams or worlds into which beings are reborn and in which they pass their lives. A definite relation nevertheless exists between the sphere of consciousness and the planes of existence: a particular sphere of consciousness comprises those types of consciousness which are typical of the corresponding plane of existence and which frequent the plane by tending to arise most often there. Consciouness of a particular sphere is not tied to the corresponding plane, but may arise in other planes of existence as well; for instance, fine-material and immaterialsphere cittas can arise in the sensuous plane, and sense-phere cittas can arise in the fine-material and immaterial planes. But still a connection is found, in that a sphere of consciousness is typical for the plane that shares its name. Moreover, the kammically active cittas of any particular sphere, the cittas that generate kamma, tend to produce rebirth into the correspodning plane of existence...."" (from "A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma" (from "A Comprehensive Man of Abhidhamma, BPS Pariyatti Editions, 2000)http://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Man ... 1928706029 )

Story of my life, but I'm going to drop this project. It's too difficult a relative newcomer to Abhidhamma like me to derive key points from the text without simply typing it out (which I feel involves copyright issues since I bought the book) and probably everyone who comes to this corner has already read it or is already doing so. But let's bring up points for discussion now and then.